Culture

Actual things you can do to bridge the orgasm gap in your own bedroom

Your sexual partner just jubilantly crossed the finish line, but you're still running a race with no end in sight. It's frustrating. And, for an alarming number of heterosexual women, it's the infuriating reality of sex. Metaphors aside, we're talking about the gender orgasm gap—the disparity between men and women's sexual satisfaction, and a struggle that many of us know all too well.

64 percent of men have an orgasm during sex, but only 34 percent of women can say the same, according to the Durex Global Sex Survey which surveyed nearly 30K adults worldwide. Women who identify as heterosexual are the demographic that have the fewest orgasms, according to a study by Indiana University. That same research also revealed something that many women are already fully aware of: penetrative sex alone simply doesn't cut it for most women. And, that women need oral sex and clitoral stimulation if they're going to stand any chance of coming.

"If you faked, you gave them wrong information, and then they think things get you off that might not."

The reasons for the orgasm gap are multi-faceted, and some of them will take a long time to remedy. Sex education that fails to teach sexual pleasure has been cited as one reason for the gap. A study from University of Wisconsin-Madison found a third of university-age women can't identify their clitoris in an anatomy test. Communication, or a lack thereof, is one of the biggest obstacles in bridging the orgasm gap, according to the Durex Global Sex Survey. Over a third of people feel they can't tell their sexual partner what they like. And, others say the reason behind the gender orgasm gap is the cultural prioritisation of the male orgasm.

We might not be able to change these things overnight, but there are a few things we can do. Mashable asked gynaecologists, sex therapists, sex educators, and orgasm equality activists what heterosexual sex partners can do to bridge the orgasm gap in their own bedroom. Here are the pearls of wisdom they imparted that will hopefully bring us all a little closer to that oh-so-coveted finish line.

Don't fake it

Heather Corinna—founder of Scarleteen, a sex and relationships education site for young people—warns against faking your orgasm, which can cause a miscommunication between you and your sexual partner. "Orgasm tells a partner whatever you did together can gets you off. So, they're often going to try and repeat those things to get that result again," says Corinna. "If you faked, you gave them wrong information, and then they think things get you off that might not, or even most definitely DO not."

Masturbate together

Angela Skurtu— sex therapist and cohost of the About Sex podcast—says couples should masturbate together so they can see see "how each person touches themselves." "Women masturbate very differently than men do and we can teach each other," says Skurtu. "You can also make this a competition—whoever finishes first wins something."

Build arousal slowly

"Slow down," says Sophie Holloway, founder of Ladies Come First, a campaign promoting pleasure based sex education. "No touching the vagina until you are really really really turned on," says Holloway. "Your labia should be plump and erect just like the penis when you are aroused." She recommends staying in foreplay for as long as possible to build arousal slowly and to achieve what she calls a "lady boner." When it comes to pressure, Holloway says partners should start out "touching the clitoris with the same pressure as you would your eyelid" before applying more pressure.

'Stay in'

Claire Kim, program manager at sex education site OMGYES, says in hetero penetrative sex, "in and out friction" is what's pleasurable for the man, but this action isn't conductive to the level of clitoral stimulation women need. "What's often much more pleasurable for the woman is his penis staying inside," says Kim. "So that the clitoris stays in contact with the area above the penis, and the top of the penis stays in contact with the inside roots of the clitoral cluster, which go around the urethra and up the vaginal canal."

Think about what gets you off alone

We know what makes us come when we're going solo. The obstacle usually arises when we bring another person into the equation. Corinna recommends examining "what floats your boat solo" and then "bringing it to your crew." "Whatever that is, bring as much of it into sex with partners as you can," says Corinna. "Whether that's bringing the fantasies in your head, showing them how to do what you like with your own hands meshed with theirs, or doing it yourself during sex (or both!), using porn you like together." Gynaecologist and sex counsellor Dr. Terri Vanderlinde recommends that women practice "alone, comfortably" with fingers or vibrators to learn "her body and how it works."

Image: Getty Images/PhotoAlto

Treat this as a learning curve

PSA men: this is gonna take some time. Holloway says men need to know that "until they have the map to their partner's pleasure" it's going to be a "voyage of discovery." "This takes time, and patience, and love, and respect, and placing their partners pleasure and orgasm as their primary goal is a big part of it," she says. Partners should listen and learn their partner's pleasure signals, and be receptive when your partner tells you when something's not working for them.

Get on top

When it comes to positions for penetrative sex, all experts interviewed by Mashable were in agreement: getting on top will help get you off. Dr. Vandelinde says being on top provides open access for clitoral stimulation, which most women need in order to orgasm. It also gives the woman "the freedom to have more control of the movements" so you can get into a rhythm that feels good, according to Holloway. Online sex therapist and host of Foreplay Radio podcast Laurie Watson says "woman on top at a 45 degree angle gives the penis the most contact with the G-spot, and is a good position that she can reach her clitoris."

Experiment with positions

Getting on top isn't the be all and end all, though. Vanderlinde says doggy style can be a good position for clitoral stimulation. "Anything that can give direct stimulation to the clitoris works," says Vanderlinde. Watson recommends lying on your back, hooking your legs around your partner's elbows with your pelvis rocked up. "To climax during intercourse I suggest a position where their partner or themselves can simultaneously touch their clitoris," says Watson.

As Corinna points out, women have "incredibly diverse bodies, and even more diverse sexualities." They say orgasm can occur with "any kind of sexual activity" and each person over time will find what works for their own bodies. "There are going to be certain positions, angles or other specifics that work best for them. But what those are is so varied, that's something we all have to find out by experimenting," they say.

Talk about sex outside the bedroom

Corinna says it's actually really hard to talk about what you like and don't like during sex. "It's just such a high-stakes situation, and people, especially women, are often so worried about how what they say will be perceived," says Corinna, who suggests building communication about sex when you're not having sex. "Start by doing more talking about sex when you're not actually engaging in sex. That can help build trust and comfort and practice that makes doing it during easier," says Corinna.

Tell your partner when something feels good

We know that faking your orgasm will give your partner the wrong message about what's working for you. If you feel comfortable doing so, Corinna says you should "voice it when things do feel good" and "show them what you like when you can." "Don't be afraid to ask a partner to keep doing what they are doing when you're into it, or to adjust when something isn't doing it for you," they say. "Be explicit and clear and open."

Add toys to the equation

If you use a vibrator on your own, then it's worth considering using it when you're having sex with your partner. "If someone enjoy sex toys alone, why wouldn't they bring them into sex together at least sometimes? The idea that toys are just for people alone is silly," says Corinna.

If you want to add toys to the equation during penetrative sex, Vanderlinde recommends using a "cock ring with a vibrator" which will afford "hands free stimulation" as well as vibrators that can fit between your and your partner's bodies. "Or simply wait 'til he finishes and then he can stimulate her to multiple orgasms," says Vanderlinde.

Plan to give oral

Sex therapist Deborah Fox says that the "majority" of women won't come from intercourse alone and that's simply down to biology. The clitoris is full of nerve endings, while only the outer third of the vagina tends to have responsive nerves," says Fox.

If the man comes during intercourse, his next move should be to find a way to make his partner come. Skurtu says if the man comes during intercourse, he should plan to perform oral sex afterwards. "If a person finishes first, the next person can perform oral on the first or use a vibrator and/or fingers," she says.

Don't fret

Try not to get stressed if you don't come. Vanderlinde says there are sometimes other things at play that could be standing in the way of reaching orgasm. "There can be interfering medical diagnoses, medications, pain, low desire, hormones, partner issues, prior abuse, trust issues, stresses, worries, depression, that have a major effect on a woman’s ability to have an orgasm," she says. In these situations, consider seeking advice from a medical professional or trained sex counsellor.

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